In 1992, Maná scored a hit with “Vivir Sin Aire,” a love song that also served as a metaphor for the environment—and set the Mexican rock band on a path that continues today. Not only has the band included a song inspired by environmental or social change on every album since then, but in 1996, the band—consisting of Fernando “Fher” Olvera, Alejandro González, Sergio Vallín, and Juan Calleros—solidified their commitment to environment by launching Selva. Negra (Black Jungle) Ecological Foundation, which protects species, restores ecosystems and promotes environmental education.
Almost 30 years since its creation, Selva Negra has fulfilled its mission. She has hatched and directly released 8 million sea turtles, planted over 800,000 trees, produced more than 500,000 plants in her community greenhouse, and partnered with the Interamerican Development Bank to help preserve Mexican forests and promote projects to raise awareness about climate change, among many other actions. . Meanwhile, the foundation has promoted a myriad of social justice causes, including providing support and decent living to immigrant communities in the United States, Mexico and Latin countries.
Speaking from his home base in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – and wearing a silver charm of a sea turtle, his favorite animal, around his neck – Maná frontman and Selva Negra president Olvera talks about why the job never ends.
Fher Olvera (center) bagged saplings with the Selva Negra team.
Courtesy of Selva Negra
Several years ago, you talked about a plan to develop an environmental curriculum
for schools. How come this?
We do a lot of environmental education on site. But what is more important, and what we tried to achieve with previous governments, was to make ecology part of the core school curriculum, like geography or mathematics. It is coming, but our government does not understand the environment. We are trying to change that.
On the band's last US tour, you donated to many organizations that help immigrants. What is your position on this matter?
More than a political position, it is a humanitarian position. When we spent time with [President Barack] Obama in the White House, we didn't support Democrats or Republicans – we supported working people, who put bread on the tables of American families. We are in favor of human rights. The Latino community in the United States is so powerful now that it can swing elections, and presidents can no longer insult Latinos so easily. Well, some can.
Tell us about Platanito, the place where you have your turtle sanctuary.
It's very close, in an area called Nayarit [Mexico]. Platanitos is a huge beach where the government has an intact reserve, and we worked with them to take care of the turtles. In Platanito, we have a conservation station that houses the biologists and the turtle care team. They collect the eggs, put them in a protected area. There they grow for a little over a month until they hatch and push the baby turtles into the sea at night so no predators eat them. Last year, we released nearly 1 million baby turtles into the sea, our record. There are many turtle camps around the world. It shows that man can do good with the same hand that does evil. We got only one species, but there are many more.
Do you feel that artists have an obligation to promote social justice now more than ever?
If it comes from the heart, yes. If it is not in them, and it is against my principles to say so, they have no obligation. An artist's obligation is to make good art — to give their best to their songs, their lyrics, their arrangements, everything that makes up music. Now if in addition they want to talk about women's rights or education rights or health, the environment, whatever, then that's the icing on the cake. I believe many people have been inspired by Maná to protect the environment — to think globally and act locally.
Fher Olvera frees the turtle with Selva Negra.
Courtesy of Selva Negra
This story originally appeared in the March 30, 2024 issue Advertising sign.
